1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus, often referred to as a xe2x80x9chead gatexe2x80x9d, which is used for restraining the position of the head and/or necks of farm animals when administering medication, as by injections, or when performing other operations such as taking blood samples, tagging ears, removing horns, etc. The giving of injections in the neck is nowadays recommended since the neck has a large muscle mass that readily absorbs the medication. Meat packers also promote the needling in the neck since this area provides only the poorer cuts of meat.
Although the apparatus is principally designed for use with cattle, given suitable size adjustment it may be used for may other farm animals such as horses, buffalo, sheep, goats, etc.; the term xe2x80x9cfarm animalsxe2x80x9d is intended to cover at least this range of animals.
2. Prior Art
Presently, head gates used for restraining the heads and/or necks of animals such as cattle uses steel bars on opposite sides of the animal""s necks. Such gates are shown for example in the following patents:
Can.Pat.No.1,030,828 to Kratky,
Can.Pat.No.2,077,262 to Halyung, and
Can.Pat.Application No.2,258,467 to Requate.
The steel bars presently used in head gates are uncomfortable for the animals. In many cases the design requires that the animal closes the gate by the animal trying to push its way between two bars, which form the edges of gates which rotate on hinges and come together around the head of the animal, the gates then holding the bars in the locked condition. Often, the animal slams into the bars, which is particularly stressful for the animal and also generates much noise. The spacing of the bars is crucial. They must be wide enough to allow the animal""s head to pass between them but close enough together to allow the shoulders of the animal to rotate the bars bringing them against the animals"" neck and locking the bars in place. For this reason there may be a need to adjust bars in some apparatus. With the bars close enough together to operate properly, some animals may refuse to place their heads between them, which slows the animal throughput. If the bars are too wide apart, the shoulders of a small animal can pass between the bars, with the result that the bars may close on the rib cage or mid section of the animal, which again is very stressful for the animal.
In some such apparatus the bars converge downwards so that if the animal loses its footing the bars tightly constrict the neck and may choke the animal.
The bars presently used do not immobilize the animal""s neck effectively, so that when a needle is inserted into the neck the animal can lunge forward pinching the operator""s fingers and breaking the needle.
It is an object of the invention to provide restraining means which is more comfortable than the steel bars used presently, and yet which holds the neck or head of an animal quite firmly while necessary operations are performed. Preferably, the apparatus is similar to known head gates in that it allows the animals to walk forwards through the apparatus, i.e. they do not need to be pulled out backwards.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, apparatus for restraining the neck or head of a farm animal, comprises:
a frame having a base part and a top part and opposed side parts, these parts being spaced apart to allow at least the head of said animal to pass between these parts;
flexible means connected at lower and upper ends thereof to the frame, the flexible means including opposed side portions extending between upper and lower locations connected to the frame, the upper locations being closely spaced to each other above the neck and head position of an animal to be treated and the lower locations being closely spaced to each other below the neck position of the animal, and the side portions being connected to the frame side parts by extensible means tending to hold said side portions apart;
tensioning means for tensioning the flexible means by causing relative vertical movement of the upper end of the flexible means away from its lower end;
whereby, when an animal has placed its head between the side portions of the flexible means, these side portions can be pulled inwardly against the side of an animal""s neck or head by vertical movement of the tensioning means so as to restrain movement of the animal.
The flexible means may be belts, i.e. flexible elements having a somewhat flattened cross-section. It will be understood that references to xe2x80x9chead or neckxe2x80x9d include the case where the flexible means are belts which are wide enough to hold both the head and the neck. The term xe2x80x9cclosely spacedxe2x80x9d means at a spacing which is small relative to the neck width of an animal to be treated.
The lower ends of the flexible means may be anchored to a base part of the frame at the lower locations, and the upper part of the frame may have guides spaced on opposite sides of the side portions of the flexible means at these upper locations, the flexible means extending upwardly between the guides and having its upper end or ends connected to fluid cylinder means which provide said tensioning means.
In the preferred arrangement, the side portions of the flexible means are unconnected except at its upper end or ends, each of these side portions being carried by a door portion which is swingably mounted on a side of the frame, the door portions carrying the said upper and lower locations, the door portions being movable from a closed position in which the upper and lower locations of the side portions of the flexible means or belts are held close together, to an open position in which these side portions are sufficiently far apart for an animal to walk through the frame between these side portions and door portions.
Where the flexible means are belts these are preferably wide enough, for example over 3 inches in width, and up to 20 inches in width, as to apply even force to the animal""s neck and to avoid the painful pressure points, bruising and damage caused when the existing head gate assemblies force small diameter steel tubing against the animal""s head and neck. The force applied through these means virtually immobilizes the animal and also reduces the possibility of the animal falling.
The flexible means may alternatively be constituted by chains which are contained in flexible tubes such as rubber hoses, at least in those regions which contact the animal.
The apparatus preferably further comprises a latch for normally holding the door portions in the closed condition, and foot operated means for releasing the latch and allowing the door portions to open and an animal to proceed through the frame.
The hydraulic cylinder means may be disposed so that when retracted it exerts a component of force tending to close the door portions when these portions have been opened to allow an animal to pass through, whereby after the animal is treated and the tension applied by the cylinder means has been relaxed to allow the door portions to open, the cylinder means may be re-energized to close the door portions. The cylinder means is then again extended to allow the belts or other flexible means to open and admit another animal""s head and neck.
The cylinder means may be a single hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder pivotally mounted at the top of the frame to accommodate outwards movement of the belts or flexible means as the door portions open. Alternatively, the cylinder means may include a first, generally vertical cylinder means for pulling the flexible means upwardly, the first cylinder means being mounted on a support moveable by second cylinder means in a horizontal direction, whereby the first cylinder means can be moved outwardly from the frame by the second cylinder means to stretch out an animals""s neck. Both cylinder means may be retracted after the door portions have been opened in order to close the door portions.
Normally, the frame forms one end of an enclosure, the sides of which enclosure provide between them a walkway for animals approaching the door portions of the apparatus.
Where the flexible means are belts, these may be provided with at least one aperture for allowing treatment of an animal at a specific location determined by the position of the aperture.